Is Boca Grande ready to handle another major catastrophic event?
BY FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE FIRE DEPT.
Recent revolutionary changes to weather patterns suggest that an evaluation of readiness in preparation for these unfamiliar events is essential and critical. Three major hurricanes in two years should be a wake-up call to evaluate and prepare for escalating, intensity, and severity.
Devastating and unfamiliar instances in other parts of the United States should awaken our senses to impending peril. The Los Angeles fires demonstrated a need for improvement and evaluation of fire management systems. The valiant of efforts of the devoted firefighters were hampered by inadequate planning and resources. Just as the debate subsided, Myrtle Beach fires highlighted vulnerability that had previously gone unidentified. Recently un-contained fires in Brooklyn, Long Island and the Everglades demonstrate necessity to evaluate, plan and prepare for new and unforeseen emergencies.
As an independent and isolated community, it is incumbent upon us to evaluate, plan and resource effectively. The best effort response is crucial. The planned outgoing development on the island requires adequate protection to assure sustainability and viability. Repair efforts through the entire island are enhancing sustainability by meeting code requirements, evaluating existing structures and improving communication capabilities for emergency services.
An example of preparation and planning is the effort by the Gasparilla Island Water Association in cooperation with the Boca Grande Fire Department testing to assure adequate operational flows throughout the island, including both Lee and Charlotte County. The pressurization pump for fire protection service is being relocated in a waterproof structure with sustainable backup power and 3,000,000 gallons of water for any island emergency.
Island emergency medical services are supplied by Lee County as part of their EMS organization. Boca Fire provides back-up Advance Life Services provides garaging and housing for the Lee County EMS staff.
The B.G.F.D. is an independent fire district serving Gasparilla Island, including the Lee and Charlotte County properties. The fire department faces significant challenges due to depleted reserves from maintaining aging equipment, and damage from the recent hurricanes. The fire station was inundated with over two feet of water which resulted in damage to much of the utility equipment that is necessary for maintaining a state of readiness. A critical brush firetruck was destroyed due to a battery fire.
Ladder Truck 231, also known as “Hammer Head”, (at left) is 15 years old and has an overall out of service record of 60 percent of its life. Therefore, in order to restore and maintain service availability, action is required now. A replacement is required to be built to current standards to ensure service availability on the island. But here is the issue! The lead time from commitment to an in-service status is now in excess of four years. Therefore, a delay in placing an order further increases our vulnerability to an undesirable level.
We have a mutual aid agreement with Englewood/Charlotte County, and we can occasionally borrow equipment to replace our out-of-service ladder truck. We also can depend on them for emergency assistance, but the response time is delayed by at least 30 to 35 minutes to various Island locations.
Boca Fire will continue to maintain its exemplary state of readiness to ensure the safety of the residence and properties of the Boca Grande community. However, to ensure that Boca Grande has adequate service and fire protection levels, we must take action now.
As a community, we must commit to adequately resourcing our first responders.
Visit bocagrandefire.net or call (941) 964-2908. To donate, visit gulfcoastcf.org/friends-boca-grande-fire-department. Jerry Edgerton or Joseph R. Sivewright can also be contacted at (703) 585-3311.
